The Lundlaevungar
The Lundlaevungar are a Clan of dragons living in the Arcane territory. They are named for the Arcane Sprite, Lundlaeva, who was adopted by the Clan and is one of Loki's most trusted advisors. The core of the Clan resides upon a gigantic crystal Spire which floats above the sea, equidistant between the Starwood Strand and the Focal Point. This Spire was originally part of the mountains of the Crystalspine Reaches. It has since been through many adventures. When the Clan became too large to be comfortable within the confines of their original home, the Spire was broken off from the rest of the mountain using a great deal of the Clan's magic. They transported the now-floating Spire to the Starwood Strand; however, there it crashed and lay amongst the trees for several years while the Lundlaevungar worked to build enough power to get their home airborne once more. Once they were able to get the Spire afloat, the Clan left a small outpost on the cliffs of the Starwood Strand and floated their Spire into the centre of the sea between there and the Focal Point, where it could take advantage of the arcane energies of the Observatory and use its power to remain in the air. The Clan now has outposts on both shores and plans to expand further. The Spire When the majority of Clan members speak of ‘home’, this is what they are referring to: the great Spire of the Lundlaevungar. Even those who do not necessarily live inside the Spire itself tend to refer to this when they talk about ‘the Lair’. A main Hub for all members of the Lundlaevungar, the Spire serves as meeting place, council chamber – and ultimately fortress, should the Clan ever find itself under attack. The Spire was Loki and Angrboda’s first home, and the place where they met. The main hall and several other chambers were first hollowed out by Angrboda herself when the pair decided to make it their home. It has since been expanded to accommodate more dragons with the addition of new Clan members. In form, the Spire is a large chunk of dense rock similar to rose-quartz, typical of the Crystalspine Reaches. The top is roughly flat and oval, covered with a lawn of wild grasses, while below the naked rock hangs in two tapering spikes. It floats, suspended by Arcane energies, with no apparent means of support; Loki and Angrboda found it in this state, though they did not at first realise that it was not connected to the ground. The Spire maintains a consistent height above ground at all times. It does occasionally drift with particularly strong air currents, fluctuations in the magical field of the Starfall Isles, and when it is hit by bad weather; however, most of the time no intervention is required to maintain a stationary position. The Spire does have a tendency to rotate, most often widdershins (anticlockwise). This is very slow and barely noticeable from within the Spire; it may complete one rotation each day. Visitors, new arrivals and those who do not habitually stay within the Spire can find this disorientating. Move to the Starwood Strand As the Clan grew, it became apparent that they would soon run out of space within the Spire, and the Lundlaevungar decided to move. They chose to take the floating Spire with them to the Starwood Strand. Under the direction of their leader, Loki, all of the dragons in the Clan contributed their strength to push the Spire from the Crystalspine Reaches. However, as they moved further from the physics-warping magic and Arcane energies surrounding the Observatory, the Spire began to drop. The Lundlaevungar realised what was happening, but even with all their combined magic they could do nothing to stop to fall. With great effort, they managed to get the Spire to the very edge of the Starwood Strand. There, it clipped the edge of the cliffs and toppled over, skidding into the trees and leaving a rut of destruction in its wake. Despite Loki’s best efforts, the Spire could not be raised again. So the Clan became used to their home lying on its side, and made new homes in the trees of the Star Wood. They also tunnelled into the cliffs, creating a network of corridors and chambers on many different levels, creating a stairway to the beach and stretching well below sea level. Eventually, Loki and the Lundlaevungar gained enough power to raise the Spire from where it lay. The Clan floated it out over the ocean to hang, equidistant, between the Starwood Strand and the Focal Point. It is once again supported by the strange energies emanating from the Arcanist’s home, and apart from a little course-correction to compensate for drifting, the Clan does not plan to move the Spire again. Spire Architecture The interior of the Spire is divided into six layers. The main entrance is located on what is now the second layer, roughly one third down the total length of the Spire, and leads into the largest space in the Lair. This is in fact the original entrance and the first cave that Angrboda hollowed out. What was once an all-purpose space is now a large communal chamber where meetings and social gatherings take place. Apart from the main entrance, there are no windows; supplemental light is provided by the Lightwell, the fire-pit, and Glowing Pocket Baubles. Spiral staircases at either end of the main hall lead to the other layers, following the outer curves of the Spire. The stairs themselves are ‘open’ and roughly wedge-shaped, which can be somewhat disconcerting for heavier dragons! However, magic reinforces each step to ensure that even if they break away from the wall, they remain in place; this has happened in a couple of places throughout the Spire. There is enough space in the stairwells to allow smaller dragons to fly up and down. The stairwells are lit by small slit windows, none of which are large enough to be used as an entry point except by small familiars. At night, Glowing Pocket Baubles provide illumination. Periodic landings provide access to the interior chambers. Loki’s chambers are located in the topmost layer of the Spire, and are the largest personal quarters. He shares these with Angrboda. Also on the top layer is the Clan’s library, where quiet study is undertaken. This also serves as a teaching room. On the third layer, the structure splits into the Spire’s distinctive pair of asymmetrical spikes. The shorter spike contains a single room: the Hoard. This is directly accessible from the main hall. The long spike contains four more layers, three of which are residential, and finally culminating in a Vault layer at the base of the spike. The Lightwell The Spire is predominantly lit by the Lightwell. This structure runs vertically down the longer of the Spire’s two spikes. It is essentially a cylindrical hollow, the outer wall of which is a super-fine layer of crystal that allows light to penetrate. Mirrors positioned at strategic intervals help to capture sunlight and reflect it down to the base of the Spire. All of the personal quarters connect to the Lightwell. Each chamber has at least one ‘window’ looking out into the Lightwell, with a shallow basin outside for collecting small amounts of drinking water. These windows also allow for quick communication between layers. However, as the Lightwell is also something of an echo-chamber, this can be quite disruptive. Some of the ‘windows’ are large enough for small dragon breeds and flying familiars to use them as access points. The Hoard Located in the shorter of the Spire’s spikes, the Hoard is a repository for all of the Clan’s communal belongings, including food. A central column hangs from the ceiling to the deepest point of the spike, and the spiral staircase follows this down. Large shelves and storage spaces have been cut into the walls and column, to ensure that there is space enough for everything. This is the only room in the Spire not connected to the Lightwell, and as such is one of the darkest. Some natural light does penetrate through a number of small windows cut into the outer walls. These are all glazed or barred to permit entry even to hatchlings or tiny familiars, as a security precaution. The Vault The Vault was one of the last additions to the Spire, in the deepest point of the long spike, and contains all of the Clan’s treasures as well as all of the Lundlaevungar coin. It is lit by the Lightwell, which here tapers to an open point. There are no windows or air holes, and the base of the Lightwell is protected with a shield charm to prevent theft. Some small dragons who are able to use the Lightwell as an access point can request permission to access the well this way. At the very base of the Vault is the Clan’s well, which was created as a result of the Lightwell. Rainwater and condensation collects and runs down the length of the Lightwell, falling ultimately into a pool. The Clan uses this as its main source of water, both for drinking and for washing, and is careful to ensure that there is no possibility of flooding. Corvus is the Clan’s Vaultkeeper. As he is from the Water Flight, he can manipulate conditions in the Vault to ensure that nothing ends up damp as a result of close proximity to the well. Usually dragons use their personal basins in the Lightwell as a water supply, but when large quantities of water are needed they normally make the trip down to the Vault. However, lazy dragons may call on their Water Flight friends to summon some up the Lightwell for them! The Scar and Cliff Tunnels The Scar has been in existence since the Spire crashed in the Starwood Strand, but only gained the name after the Spire itself returned to the skies. It is the name given to the welt left in the landscape by the crash and the area where the Spire once lay. The ground here is mostly exposed rock or rocky earth. Plant life finds it difficult to survive here. However, during rainy periods, water collects in the deepest part of the Scar, and sometimes a small waterfall can occur over the cliff onto the beach. The Scar is most often used as a training arena for young fighters. It has also been used for communal festivals and large, open-air gatherings. The area near the Scar along the cliff top was cleared of trees by the Lundlaevungar while they were living in the area. A small clearing was also created at the ‘top’ of the fallen Spire. Both of these areas support grasses and wildflowers, and the remains of some dragons’ gardening attempts have been left to flourish or perish on their own. Low-lying plant life is starting to spread out from the trees again to reclaim this area, though no trees have so far started to grow there again. A series of tunnels and chambers riddle the cliffs below the Scar, stretching for miles in every direction beneath the Starwood Strand. The tunnels were created while the Spire lay among the trees, and the main entrance is on the southern side of the Scar. However, there are also many more secret access points scattered throughout the Star Wood and several in caves along the cliffs. Some of these are protected by magic and require passwords or spells to open, while others are hidden by more commonplace means. No one has even mapped the tunnel system, and not even the Lundlaevungar are sure just how extensive they are: new tunnels sometimes seem to just appear overnight with no explanation. Although not part of the tunnels, there is a narrow spiral staircase cut into the cliffs to provide access to the beach. This occasionally floods when there is an extremely high tide. The areas close to the surface are comfortable and pleasant; they mostly comprise living quarters, with several larger communal halls and storage spaces. Glazed skylights provide natural light, and high ceilings combined with murals and tapestries help to make the space feel large and airy despite being underground. These spaces were mostly used by the Lundlaevungar during their spell in the Starwood Strand. These are now used as guest quarters, housing for the Clan’s Familiar and Beastclan population, and barracks for combat trainees. On the lower levels there are a number of subterranean laboratories for the Clan’s scientists and experimental magic users. These chambers often have thicker walls and can easily be blocked off in the event of a test gone awry. Deeper down, space within the tunnels can seem oddly warped and it is very easy to get lost. Some areas are no longer lit or maintained. Most of the Lundlaevungar avoid venturing too far into the tunnel system, as they are not sure what they might find … The Blue Plinth A floating plinth made entirely of dark blue quartz is the home of the Doctor and his companions. No one is quite sure how five dragons and so many familiars fit into such a relatively small space, and those who might know the answer are resolutely not telling. There is speculation that the plinth is larger on the inside … The Doctor and his companions call their home ‘the T.A.R.D.I.S.’. Since the Blue Plinth is also home to the Imperial the Doctor calls ‘the Tardis’, this causes some confusion among the rest of the Lundlaevungar. They refer to it as ‘The Blue Plinth’ instead. The Blue Plinth is much smaller than the Spire. Its upper half is roughly cuboid; the lower half twists and tapers into a point. A geometric pattern of rectangles have been cut into each of the plinth’s faces, becoming smaller as the shape narrows. The top row of the pattern doubles as a series of windows, glazed with opaque panes of smoky quartz. One of the panels in the pattern also contains a complex carving of interconnected circles and lines. The top of the plinth is not flat, but rather a square-based pyramid with a pulsing lantern fitted to the peak. The Blue Plinth is made of a particularly dark variety of blue quartz that none of the Lundlaevungar have seen elsewhere. When it is in Lundlaevungar territory, the Blue Plinth orbits the Spire. It constantly spins, though the direction and speed of rotation changes frequently. Generally, it revolves much more quickly than the Spire. However, the Blue Plinth often disappears for days or weeks at a time – and the Doctor inevitably returns with a new tale to tell. The Imperial known as the Tardis is ultimately in charge of the Blue Plinth, and indeed seems to share some kind of connection with the structure. Her magic keeps it afloat, and she appears to be in charge of when and where the plinth moves; her power is immense to accomplish this. The two spirals Space and Time assist with physically moving the Blue Plinth; they wrap their bodies around it and push it through the air in a distinctively Spiral flying pattern. Although members of the Lundlaevungar are welcome to inspect the Blue Plinth at close quarters, very few have been invited inside. In order to enter the Blue Plinth, a ‘key’ is required. The Doctor is reluctant to give more details than this – even to reveal whether the ‘key’ is physical or a spell or a password – but each of his companions has one with which to enter. Vatnkvæði, the River Song, sometimes joins the Doctor in the Blue Plinth; however, she does not regard this as her permanent home and spends the majority of her time in her research facility in the Cliff Tunnels or on archaeological expeditions. Residents Spire Residents * Loki (Clan Leader) * Angrboda (Advisor / Warrior) * Thor (Advisor / Warrior) * Sif (Warrior) * Sigyn (Hatchling Caretaker) * Askr * Hela * Jormungandr (Flying Teacher) * Eisa * Einmyrir * Ena * Sleipnir * Fenrir * Odin (Advisor) * Mani * Sol * Nerthus * Njord * Magni (Warrior) * Modi (Warrior) * Thruda (Tattoo Artist) * Skald (Scribe) * Daell (Storyteller and Record-Keeper) * Nera * Skadi * Frigga * Corvus (Vault-Keeper) * Radiata The Scar and Cliff Tunnels Residents * Nathra (Familiar Keeper) * Valkyrja (Apprentice Familiar Keeper / Warrior) * Embla * Blikjandabol (Warrior) * Starsong Blue Plinth Residents * The Doctor (12 incarnations) * Tardis * Space * Time * Vatnkvaedi (Archeologist) Focal Point Shoreline Residents * Mimir (Viking) * Bragi (Poet) * Edda (Muse; Poet and Scribe) * Saga (Muse; Record-Keeper and Scribe) * Jorsalafar (Smith / Warrior) * Kvika (Warrior) * Volva (Seer) * Nightwing * Orion * Commodore (Pirate) * Sparrow (Pirate) * Temeraire (Crewman) * Shenfeng (Crewman) * Thorin (Smith) * Bilbo Other Residents * Morcant * Esja * Stark (Inventor / Warrior) * Captain (Warrior) * Bucky (Warrior) * DeLorean * Verne * Roxy * Jake * Dirk Category:Venerable Lair Category:Arcane